CBC plans big shiny party with MPs and Senators

I’ve always found it odd that CBC has an executive in charge government relations, given that they are after all a government owned broadcaster. So it is even more odd that I found out that CBC is about to spend big bucks to wine and dine, or at least wine, MPs and Senators.

All to fete the new host of Power & Politics, Vassy Kapelos.

Now I have no issue with Vassy, don’t know her, met her once or twice and she seems nice enough.

I do have issue with CBC spending tax dollars for what amounts to a party to lobby the people that grant them the money with a host that is supposed to interview these same politicians and hold them to account.

Isn’t it all just a little too cozy on more than one front? Come meet our big new star! Drink on us! Vote more money for us!

This is one of the oddities of the lobbying rules, as they are currently interpreted, a lobbyist meeting an MP at a Tim Horton’s can’t buy so much as a cup of coffee for that MP.

But invite every single MP and Senator, along with their staff, to a ritzy drunk fest at the National Arts Centre and it is all good.

That is what CBC is doing and it doesn’t look good.

I’m sure this will be sold as an opportunity to introduce Vassy to the MPs and Senators but let’s face facts, they already know her. Vassy Kapelos has been covering Parliament Hill for five years, was previously the Ottawa Bureau Chief for Global and host of their Sunday political show, The West Block.

I don’t see why now, after moving from a network with ratings to the third place network in a three horse race, she suddenly needs to be introduced to people she already knows.

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